IPAB asks Sharp Corporation, Sharp Industries to explore settlement options on trademark dispute

The companies promised to search for a way for settlement

The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has asked Japanese electronics major Sharp Corporation, which is also known as Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, and Coimbatore-based Sharp Industries to explore ways to amicably settle dispute related to their trademark, both containing the word 'Sharp'. The latter is using the word for its pumps, both in domestic market and some of the overseas countries.
 
IPAB Chairman Justice K N Basha and Technical Member (Trademarks) Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal directed both the parties to explore possible ways of a settlement and posted the matter for hearing in the second half of March, 2015.
 
While the matter was posted today for reporting settlment before the Board, Arun C Mohan, counsel appearing for the Japanese firm, informed the Board that there has been two stumbling blocks in settling the issue with consensus. He submitted that the Japanese firm is apprehensive on the Indian firm exporting the pumps under the brand 'Sharp No.1'.

 

Further, the Sharp Industries has its trademark registered for various pumps, though it is currently marketing monobloc pumps. Sharp Corporation is also apprehensive that whether the latter would expand its trademark to other pumps also. He suggested that a settlement is still possible if Sharp Industries could address these issues, for instance it could use the brand Ventura, which is another known pump brand from the company for exports rather than Sharp No.1 and restrict the brand to monobloc pumps alone.
 
J Vijayaraghavan, counsel appearing for the Coimbatore-based company said that the company has no plans to enter into the segments where the Japanese firm is in. He said his client's company is very popular and has almost 40% market share with major presence in states in North India.

Both the counsels agreed to the Board's suggestion and said they will speak to their clients for a possible way to amicably settle the issue.